Carphophis

Carphophis
	Carphophis vermis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Subfamily:	Xenodontinae
Genus:	Carphophis; Gervais, 1843
Synonyms
	Brachyorrhos, Calamaria, Carphophiops, Celuta, Coluber

Carphophis (common name worm snakes) is a genus of small colubrid snakes endemic to the United States. The genus consists of two species.

Description

Worm snakes are small snakes, 35 cm (14 in) or less in total length. They are usually a dark brown in color on the upperside, with a lighter-colored, pink or orange underside. They are easily mistaken for other similar species, such as the earth snakes (genus Virginia) and the brown snakes (genus Storeria). They have narrow heads, small eyes, and sharp tail tips. They are not venomous.

Behavior

Worm snakes are fossorial snakes, and spend the vast majority of their time buried in loose, rocky soil, or under forest leaf litter. They are abundant within their range, but rarely seen due to their secretive nature.

Reproduction

Little is known about their mating habits, but breeding likely occurs in early spring. The eggs are laid in early summer. Clutch size is normally two to five eggs, and hatching takes place in August or September. Hatchlings range in size from 7 to 12 cm (about 3-5 inches).

Diet

Worm snakes eat almost entirely earthworms, but they will also consume soft-bodied insects.

Predation

They are a common food source for ophiophagus snake species, such as the coral snakes, Micrurus fulvius and Micrurus tener, in areas in which they are sympatric.

Species and subspecies

Carphophis amoenus (Say, 1825) - worm snake
- Carphophis amoenus amoenus (Say, 1825) - eastern worm snake
- Carphophis amoenus helenae (Kennicott, 1859) - midwestern worm snake
Carphophis vermis (Kennicott, 1859) - western worm snake

Geographic distribution

C. amoenus - Arkansas, eastern Missouri, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, northern Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, southern Ohio, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, southeastern New York, and Connecticut
C. vermis - southern Iowa, southeastern Nebraska, eastern Kansas, western Illinois, Missouri, Louisiana, eastern Oklahoma, and northeastern Texas with isolated records from southwestern Wisconsin, and southeastern Arkansas

References

^ Wright, A.H., and A.A. Wright. 1957. Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Comstock. Ithaca and London. 1,105 pp. (in two volumes) (Genus Carphophis, pp. 104-105, Map 12 + Figure 21 on p. 73.)

External links

Genus Carphophis at The Reptile Database

Illinois Natural History Survey - Carphophis amoenus
Western worm snake, Carphophis vermis photographs
Western worm snake - Carphophis vermis Species account from the Iowa Reptile and Amphibian Field Guide

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[1] Wright, A.H., and A.A. Wright. 1957. Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Comstock. Ithaca and London. 1,105 pp. (in two volumes) (Genus Carphophis, pp. 104-105, Map 12 + Figure 21 on p. 73.)

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